Okay, might as well get in the swim of this.
I've been getting myself set up for a book talk with a library sponsored reading group. I'm looking for Hearty Reads -- Things that will stick with the reader through the gloom of winter rainstorms on the edge of the rainforest.
Here’s a real-life mystery that will raise the hackles on the back of your neck. Devil in the White City, Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, by Erik Larson. I loved the duality of the story: the promise of the Fair and the reality of white washed papier mache; the promise of a bright young man with the heart of a devil. It’s the story of greed and ego on a grand scale and the writing kept me on the edge of my chair. It’s a compelling read.

If you want something that will keep kids on the edge put Bad Girls Club by Judy Gregerson on your shelves. Judy writes about a family struggling to survive as the mother descends into severe mental illness. She accurately portrays the denial of the whole family, the withdrawal from friends and family that the older daughter experiences as she tries to protect her little sister from her mother’s insidious outbursts then she begins to take over the role her mother just cannot assume as her disease intensifies. It is heartbreaking, yet powerful as you read Gregerson's finely penned account of mental illness and how it begins to infect other family members with twisted logic as they try to maintain a normal lifestyle that just cannot be. Teens will be able to relate if they are in dysfunctional families and find they are taking over the adult role when their parents cannot. This is all too true in any dysfunctional family. Gregerson has been incredibly thorough with research to assure Bad Girls Club is accurate regarding this insidious disease and she includes numerous rich, credible resource sites regarding mental illness.
For fantasy lovers-I would suggest the Pellinor series by Alison Croggon. 1. The Naming; 2. The Riddle; 3. The Crow (to date). These are rich fantasies similar to Tolkein, which will definitely keep you reading.